Entei's Nightingale
by RussianSnowwolf
Summary: Kouen had never expected to find a woman that he truly wanted to be his forever. Kaho had never expected to harbor feelings for the scary and crude First Prince of the Kou Empire. Follow them as their story together unfolds. KouenXOC
1. Ch1: Entei's Dilemma

**Hello everyone! I said I would do a KouenxOC and here it is! I hope you all enjoy and please review, follow, favorite, whatever floats your boat.**

**Some of you may have noticed that I haven't updated any chapters for my other fanfictions. I have not dropped them, I'm simply very busy. I already had this written up so I decided, why not just upload it so everyone knows I'm not dead! Yay for being alive.**

**I don't own Magi or its characters. Also, this story takes place without any Gyokuen getting the throne nonsense. In fact, besides being incredibly two-faced, Gyokuen isn't that much of a threat in this fanfic.**

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><p>Chapter 1: Entei's Dilemma<p>

"Brother," Koumei's familiar tired voice called out. It echoed down the almost completely empty hall of the Palace: The Palace of Prince Kouen of the Kou Empire, future Emperor.

Kouen stopped and looked back at his younger brother quizzically. "What is it now?" His anger was barely masked in his words. He inwardly reprimanded himself for barking at his brother; he did not deserve this behavior. After all, without him, Kouen wouldn't be able to do all that he had done so far. He owed a lot to Koumei and Kouha. He wasn't angry at his brother; it was those damn advisors of his that he wanted to pummel. Taking a sobering breath, he studied the red-haired man as Koumei made slow progress toward him. He was in his normal baggy robes and jewelry. He held his metal vessel loosely in his right hand, a stack of papers occupying his left hand.

"You just left in the middle of the meeting," Koumei reminded him, placing his fan-metal vessel atop the papers and running his freed hand through his messy hair. How long had it been since Koumei had gotten a chance to go back to his own room and sleep in his own bed? He had been in so many meetings this past week.

Kouen wanted to tell his brother that he needed to stop overworking himself or he would end up with premature gray hair; not that Kouen was any better. Koumei seemed really worn down and tired. With a sigh, Kouen turned back around and continued down the hall, hearing his brother's following footsteps close behind. "I didn't feel like indulging in their idiotic plans." There was acid in his tone, but he didn't feel like covering it.

Koumei chuckled. "Those old geezers have been at this forever."

"And they haven't given up," Kouen agreed.

"Well, they know we're running out of reasons. They have you know, brother. We dont have any more excuses."

"Can't you think of something to divert them a bit longer? By then, I can find another reason. Maybe." Kouen knew this wasn't going to happen. He just had to face it: his advisors were going to force him to find a wife.

Its not that Kouen was against interactions with women. No, he enjoyed their company... for a night. After that, though, they were simply a nuisance. Being tied down to a single woman, whom he would have to find the time for, had not been his plan. But at this point, whether a chosen woman had qualities he wanted or not depended solely on his cooperation. Maybe he could find one that was low maintenance and wouldn't get in his way. That's the least he could ask for and the most he would expect from any of the snobs that were to be possible candidates. "I guess I better think about what I want in my woman," he muttered with a sigh of defeat. Defeat. That was new to him.

"Really?" Shock was evident in Koumei's voice.

Kouen opened his mouth, ready to complain about his predicament, when a commotion caught his attention. They had exited the confines of the palace and were now just outside the palace walls.

"Let go of me you you sick pervert!" a girl's voice yelled out.

Kouen and Koumei rounded a corner only to see a strangely interesting scene play out. One of the palace guards, one Kouen did not recognize, had a firm grip on the wrist of a black-haired girl, looking at her with non-platonic interest. Two other guards had accompanied him. One's back was turned to Kouen so he could not see his expression, but the other was leering at the girl with a sick grin. Within moments, the girl suddenly twisted in a way that sent the gripping man stumbling forward, barely saving himself the humiliation of falling on his face. Before the other two could register what had happened, the girl had swiped a foot beneath one of the men, making him fall back, stunned, as his feet left the ground. As he fell, she stole the sword from his scabbard and charged the last man, sending him in a tumble before slamming the tip of the sword though the earth between his legs.

Kouen watched with amusement as the girl moved a stray hair, which had escaped from her hair bun, behind her ear with delicate long fingers. She sneered at the man she was now straddling. "Consider yourself lucky. I missed on purpose. Next time, it won't be a clean shave," she hissed before standing up and dusting herself off.

One of the men, the one that hadn't yet fallen, seemed to have not learned his lesson, for he lunged for the girl, sword drawn. Before he could swing down, the man found his arm restrained. He looked up at Kouen in anger only to freeze up when realization dawned on him.

"I believe she already made a point that she didn't want you," Kouen spoke with a bored expression, but his eyes were deadly. They bore through the man's soul, leaving him shaking from fear of death. Kouen's other hand hovered over his metal vessel. Would it be bad of him to shred this man to pieces?

Kouen heard Koumei's careful steps behind him and realized what he was about to do wasn't right. He forced his hand to relax and return to his side, leaving the sword at his waist. Killing the man in the middle of the street wasn't a good option. With all the self-restraint he could muster, he released the man's arm, causing the man to fall to his knees, sword clattering to the ground.

Kouen looked back up in the girl's direction and met the most breathtaking sapphire orbs. The girl was looking back at him in surprise, amazement, and… horror? Shit, what had he done now to make this girl horrified? Before he could ask her, however, she turned and fled.

Confused, Kouen cocked his head to the side and turned to his brother. "Did I say something weird?"


	2. Ch2: Nightingale's Introduction

**I wrote up to chapter 3 of this story before classes started so thats why I can still update this. After next week all of my first exams will be finished and I can start updating the other stories, sorry for the delay.**

**I now introduce to your our OC, At the end of the chapter I'll give a more detailed explanation of her.**

**I do not own Magi or its characters, but please enjoy my fanfiction~**

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><p>Chapter 2: Nightingale's Introduction<p>

Before Kaho stood the large double doors that would lead to Prince Kouen's audience chamber. Kaho gulped audibly as she ran a shaky hand through her loose black hair. Her fingers glided through smoothly, causing her to scoff. The maids sure had done a good job to painstakingly brush out every single knot, even while she grumbled, complained and twitched every time they pulled a strand.

No, this wasn't the time to be resentful of the maids... They were only trying to help her. Not that she wanted it. She didn't want to be a possible bride for the crazy guy that sat on the throne behind these doors. She had heard things... scary things… And seeing him the week before hadn't quelled any of her fears. Would he just kill her on the spot if he didn't agree with something she said? Maybe he would think it over long enough for her to run. Not that she would be able to get far in this damn robe and jewelry; it weighed a freaking ton! Whose bright idea was this anyway? Oh right, her dad's. Daddy's little girl got everything she wanted, not that she ever asked for much, so it was hard to say no when her father asked her to do one little favor. She regretted saying yes. This was no small favor, this was a death sentence!

And she wasn't expecting the prince to be in any good mood either. After all, this arrangement of multiple proposals was due to his advisors, not the prince himself. Kaho doubted the prince wanted to marry.

Taking a deep breath, she built up her resolve and nodded to the guards who pushed the doors open for her.

She stepped forward, trying to keep her head high as she steadily walked into the large room. Advisors were crowded in rows on either side of her, leaving a great amount of space to make her entrance. They all watched her with scrutinizing eyes as if she was some prized show cat that they were about to purchase. Any slip up would reflect badly on her and her family. _Just take it a step at a time. Don't trip,_ she told herself.

Once she had gotten close enough to the steps leading up the the throne, she bowed, never once looking up at the prince.

"Kaho Nightingale of the Nightingale household. Suggested by 24 advisors." A man introduced her full title to the prince in monotone before listing off all of the people who had apparently decided, "Hey, why not that Nightingale girl? Let's send her to an early demise at the hands of the prince."

She could hear the whispers of the advisors around her. "Indeed, she holds herself well. She could be a good choice." "And she's a member of an older bloodline." "But I hear she can be a wild child, running around in the streets on her own." "I don't see any evidence of that here though." "She's of the right age." Kaho tried to block out the whispers but to no avail.

"You may stand." Kaho jumped at the sound of the prince's not-too-friendly voice. _Oh god... he's mad. What did I do? I haven't even said anything!_ She slowly stood, keeping her eyes down.

"Is the floor that interesting?" a commanding, unfamiliar voice questioned. "Look up girl!"

Swallowing, Kaho forced herself to look up. At the top of the steps stood a large throne. Prince Kouen sat upon it, wearing a bored expression. Upon eye contact, however, Prince Kouen seemed to sit up straighter, eyes widening. An intrigued grin spread across his lips, causing Kaho's breath to catch. No matter how fearful she was, no matter the fact that she had seen him before, she couldn't stop her thoughts. Hot damn, he was handsome! Well-built, red hair and eyes, and a confident look about him. He could get just about anything he wanted and he knew it.

Pulling her gaze away from the prince's ruby red eyes, she looked at the men standing near, beside, and behind him. A snake-haired man, a dragon man, a pig man, and a lion man glared at her. _Does the prince have a thing for animal people?_ Not wanting to stare, her eyes continued until she found someone she recognized: Prince Kouen's younger brothers, both having red hair. One of them, the taller one, seemed familiar and he looked down at her in interest before turning and whispering something to Prince Kouen, who chuckled and nodded.

Why were they whispering? It was obvious they were whispering about her. Kaho hated when people spoke behind her back. This blatant whispering right in front of her was infuriating! Why wasn't she allowed in on it?

The shorter brother seemed to get annoyed that he was being left out of their whispered conversation as well. "What did you tell Brother En, Koumei?" the younger one grumbled audibly, folding his arms in front of him as he pouted like a child. En? A nickname of sorts perhaps? She had heard that Prince Kouen had been nicknamed 'Entei'... Flame Emperor. Quite fitting actually.

Prince Koumei, the tall one, frowned at his younger brother. He seemed ready to ignore him until Kaho heard her own voice. "I would like to know as well My Lord, Prince Koumei." Her arms crossed under her chest as she glared up. Oh no, why had she said that? Even as she began to regret voicing her anger, she would not back down. Obviously she had become suicidal without realizing it.

There was a sudden uproar from the advisors. Koumei looked down at the girl in surprise. Before he had a chance to speak, his elder brother saved him.

"My brother was mentioning that you look familiar, Miss Nightingale," Kouen's voice was calm and demanded undivided attention, silencing the room, as he stared down at her. "Are you, by chance, the girl that was being molested in front of the palace a week ago?"

Kaho's jaw dropped open. _He didn't just…_ She was absolutely mortified at his proclamation and the sick bastard was enjoying it! He was smirking!

"Worry not," he continued when Kaho was silent while the advisors around the room had begun to whisper among themselves. "I have already dealt with the pigs." His eyes flashed dangerously.

_Oh god! He didn't actually kill those poor men, did he?_ She didn't mind them getting punished, but getting tortured and murdered by the terrifying Prince wasn't something she would wish on anyone.

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><p><strong>Now for more details about Kaho Nightingale:<strong>

**She is the first daughter of the Nightingale household, a noble family of the Kou Empire. This household is very old, considered "old blood", and thus has a great deal of respect and control in the Kou Empire. Her father is one of the advisors in the Emperors court, the same court that decided that Kouen needs to find a woman. her father has spoiled her all her life and wants the best for her, but he also wants the best for his family as a whole so he decided to try matching up his daughter to the first prince. He never expected the matching to go so well. Kaho also has an elder brother who will become the head of the household. While her brother can be bossy, he wants his sister to be safe, so he has taught her how to fight since he was little. Her mother on the other hand took very poorly to Kaho learning to fight and tried to stop her. They decided on a deal where Kaho would take her etiquette lessons more seriously if her brother was allowed to keep teaching her fighting.**

**Since she was little, Kaho has not taken well to orders. After getting into a few shouting fights with her family members, they ended up giving her more space to herself. She is a rather free spirit who likes to sneak out to go exploring in the city (which is when Kouen first met her in chapter 1). On the other hand she knows when to be respectful and act like an elegant lady of a noble family.**

**She has heard a lot of bad and bloody rumors of the first prince, and is thus very fearful of him. Later you will see that while she is fearful, she can be pushed over the edge into anger if Kouen is too commanding (the whole doesn't-like-being-ordered-around thing seems to slip his mind often.)**

**Physical description: She is 5'5" and in her early 20's (surprising that her father hadn't tried marrying her off earlier...). She has long black hair and blue eyes, both traits run in her family. She normally likes to keep her hair braided but will often have it loose when dressing up for something. She is lean and fit from her almost-daily practices with her brother. She uses the flexibility and agility from training for her sneaking out attempts when at home.**

**Er... is there anything I missed? If you have a question you can just ask~**


	3. Ch3: Entei's Invitation

**Hello everyone. Still alive~ I wont be able to update very often until december. My reason? School...**

**I do not own magi.**

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><p>Chapter 3: Entei's Invitation<p>

Kouen had never expected to find that the girl he had been looking for would waltz right into his audience chamber draped in the most lovely white robes. She was the first suggestion of the old geezers. Before the meeting, he had planned to just play his part and then send the scared little girl away with the wave of a hand. But when she looked up with those familiar blue eyes, everything changed. There she was! And he would be damned if he let her walk out of here. He had to hand it to those advisors, maybe they actually knew what they were doing.

After Koumei had whispered into his ear, he watched with heightening interest as the girl's terrified gaze began to burn with anger. And he had to hold back a laugh when she growled her comment at Koumei. He even noticed Koumei begin to sweat under the girls unwavering gaze.

But he couldn't just let the girl take command in _his_ palace. This was the perfect chance to confirm the girl's identity. He chose his words carefully and purposefully, hoping to have a little fun. "My brother was mentioning that you look familiar, Miss Nightingale. Are you, by chance, the girl that was being molested in front of the palace a week ago?" The girl froze, a helpless little deer captured in the gaze of a lion. Kouen smirked until he remembered those bastards. "Worry not. I have already dealt with the pigs." Well, more like Koumei dealt with them. Kouen had been hellbent on making them pay, but Koumei had told him that he would handle it.

The look of horror that the girl gave him was similar to the one he had seen that day a week ago, but this time she couldn't run off. Kouen couldn't hold back his laughter anymore. It filled, and echoed through, the room.

"Thank you." Kaho's voice was clear, untainted by fear or shyness. Kouen's laughter stopped as he looked back at her in surprise, unsure he had heard her correctly. "I could have handled it myself, but thank you." Kaho said again, her gaze meeting his own. The horror in her eyes was gone.

Kouen felt his lips twitch up into a warm smile. This girl had caught Kouen's attention since the first time he had seen her take down three guards. While he didn't know her well, what he had seen so far was a good first impression. He wanted, needed, to know more about her. "Miss Nightingale." He paused as he tried to think of the right words. Words that would make it impossible to refuse, but not scare her away at the same time. "I would like to extend an invitation to stay at the palace so that we may get to know each other better."

He heard his younger brother, Kouha gasp from surprise but ignored it. These meetings were for him to find a woman for himself. He was the only one who would decide if he was interested or not. And by the gods was he interested. He wanted to know all the secrets that those sapphire eyes hide behind their shimmering surface.

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><p>Kaho sat at the foot of her bed, her new bed, as she stared down at the white robe she had worn to the audience with the prince. The beautiful robe was carelessly crumpled on the floor.<p>

With a loud sigh, Kaho slid off the the plush bed allowing her new, less-formal robe to sway against her legs. Why the hell has she agreed to this? The prince's question had caught her off guard. That must be it. She would never, in her right mind, agree to stay at the palace.

Her father had been pleased to hear that she had caught the prince's fancy. He had even sent a wide array of her clothing and jewelry from home, most of which he must have chosen while expecting her to seduce the prince. She glared at her closet where the clothing hung, scoffing. As if she would try something like that.

A knock at the door disrupted her thoughts. "Lady Nightingale," a meek voice called. "Dinner will be ready soon and Lord Kouen expects your company."

With a frown, Kaho opened the door and allowed the female servant to lead her to the dining room, or at least she thought she was being led there. Apparently Kouen had other plans.

The maid opened a rather plain-looking door into a dimly lit room. Kaho could make out the multitude of large bookshelves filled to the brim with books and scrolls. Kouen sat at a desk, a stack of books at one corner of the desk and an old scroll flattened out before him. He didn't even look up when the maid announced Kaho's arrival. His eyes continued to scan over the parchment even when food was brought in and placed on a small table not too far from him.

Kaho frowned and grabbed the maid's arm before she could leave. "What am I supposed to do?" she asked in confusion. Why the heck did the prince expect her company when he didn't even seem to notice she was there?

The maid bowed. "Whatever you wish, my lady," she stated before retreating out the door.

_Yeah, thanks… that's helpful._ Kaho frowned before walking around the desk and Kouen, curious to see what had captured his whole concentration.

Kaho grimaced at the sight of strange lines and dots that made up a language she had never seen before. She really hoped that all of the books here were not in that language. She liked reading in her spare time, especially when she wasn't allowed to leave the house or couldn't find a way of escaping unnoticed. If she couldn't read this language, how was she going to entertain herself with these books? She couldn't stop herself from leaning closer to Kouen and the scroll to get a closer look. "What language is that?" she asked in a soft voice, in hopes of keeping the quiet peace in the room from shattering.

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><p>Kouen looked at the girl in surprise. He hadn't even noticed that she had come in. He vaguely remembered a door opening and a maid saying something, but he had been so engrossed, he had simply ignored it.<p>

An enticing scent of freshly bloomed blossoms forced Kouen to bite the inside of his cheek as he pulled away slightly from the girl who was now leaning over him to get a better look at the scroll. God, why did she smell so damn good? Was it natural? He remembered that the women he had spent time with always smelled… artificial… because of those perfumes they used. But this? It was absolutely delicious.

"Are you okay?" The girl's voice brought Kouen back to what was before him. He blinked a few times, looking into green eyes. Oh, right. She was waiting for him to respond. What was the question again?

"It's the Torran Language." He decided to ignore her second question. Partially because he didn't care and partially because he wasn't sure if he was alright. His mind was still debating on whether it was natural for women to smell so… _No. Stop._ He told himself. _Stop thinking about it. It's not important and will only waste your time._

The girl hummed in thought as she looked over the scroll. "I'm not familiar with it." She turned her head to look at him. "Can you read it?"

Kouen chuckled. "Of course I can." What a foolish question. Did she think he had been _pretending_ to read it all that time?

She hummed again before adding "What does it say?"

Kouen listened intently to her question, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. Was she just pretending to show interest in hopes of getting closer to him? No, he decided, she sounded genuinely curious.

"It talks about another world before our own. I have a few theories that it may be connected to the metal vessels."

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><p>A smile spread across Kaho's face. "Hmm, sounds interesting. I wouldn't mind learning the language if I got to read something like that." Her hand flew over her mouth as her eyes widened and she took a few steps away from the prince. She hadn't meant to speak out loud, and by the look on his face, he hadn't expected her to stay something like that.<p>

Slowly the prince's features relaxed and he smiled at her. "It is a hard language to learn. If you ever need any assistance, you may come to me." He stood from his seat and proceeded to the dinner placed out on the table not to far off. "Come. Let's eat."

Kaho frowned in annoyance. His words were not a suggestion, they were a command, and that really ticked her off. He thought he could just order her around? Hah! Ignoring him, Kaho sat down at the desk that the prince had abandoned and opened one of the books.

"What are you doing?" she heard the prince growl and looked up at him nonchalantly.

"Enjoying a good book," she stated simply with a shrug. It wasn't very convincing and she knew it. Especially since she was holding the book upside down.

"Come eat," the prince commanded.

Kaho frowned and her eye twitched a bit. "No thank you, my lord prince."

"I said come, girl." he exclaimed, patience running thin.

"I'm not hungry." That was a lie. She was just being stubborn.

"Then leave." Those two words were said so quietly that Kaho almost didn't hear them. Placing the book down, she stood and walked right out the door without saying a word.

She paused in the hallway, wondering how she would get to her room, and froze when she heard a crash coming from the library she had just left. Thank god it wasn't her. Why she was angering the prince when she was afraid of him, she wasn't sure. There was just something about being ordered to do something that struck a nerve. Not even her father would order her to do anything anymore.

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><p><strong>Oh-oh, not the greatest idea of hers... What do you think of the story so far?<strong>

**As for answers to my reviews:**

**Mitsuyuki-Hime: Actually Kaho is not yet his fiancé. Shes is a considered candidate. One of many. Of course, Kouen decided that he wants to get to know her better thus this chapter and on. While this story is going to be more lighthearted than my other Magi fanfictions, their relationship will definitely not be smooth, especially considering what just happened in this chapter. I'm not sure what will happen to her in the future. I'm the type of person who comes up with the plot as she goes along. Nothing is set in stone. However I don't think I will follow the actual plot Magi. No crazy Empress.**


	4. Ch4: Nightingale's New Home

**Yay! A new chapter finally! Chapter 5 is written but Its in major editing right now.**

**I do not own Magi or its characters. Kaho is mine of course.**

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><p>Chapter 4: Nightingale's New Home<p>

Kaho sighed, placing down her empty cup and picking up the book from the table. A maid rushed over from a corner and took the empty plate while another maid refilled the cup with tea before retreating back to a corner.

It had been two weeks since Kaho was invited to stay at the palace, and excluding the first night, she hadn't heard a peep from the prince. In fact, she was beginning to suspect that he was purposefully ignoring her. Maybe ignoring his order wasn't her brightest idea. At least the maids had kept her company, and she wasn't banned from the library. She had found a few books on the Torran language and had brought them to her room to read. But she was really having a hard time. If she hadn't caused the argument, she would have taken the prince up on his offer to assist her.

With another sigh, she placed the book back down, leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes.

"My lady." Kaho cracked an eye open and looked at the maid that had spoken. This seemed to be all the acknowledgement needed for the maid to continue. "You seem to be tired. Perhaps you would like a walk around the palace gardens?" That actually wasn't such a bad idea. Kaho nodded and followed the maid out of her room.

Even after two weeks, Kaho still got lost easily in the over-sized building. So far she had found 37 dead ends, though she may have counted some of them twice. It was a blessing that the maids didn't just abandon her at any one room for long.

Today, the maid that had suggested this little walk showed her the way to the garden but then told her she would be back in an hour-something about finishing some chores. Kaho walked for a bit before finding a secluded little area where she lay down in the grass beside the flowers and watched the clouds. It wasn't that she hated the place. In fact, it was very beautiful. It was just... she was a little lonely and bored. Normally, she would be able to talk with her mother and father and even sneak out to the town. Unfortunately, security here was so tight she couldn't get through unnoticed. She tried... A guard stopped her and told her it was dangerous to leave on her own. Kaho had to hold back her laughter and turned around, back to her room.

_The breeze feels so refreshing._ Kaho thought at she curled up on the soft grass. _And the flowers smell nice._

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><p>Kouen growled, placing down his glass. A maid quickly came over and poured more wine into his glass before running back to a corner where she kept out of the way. Those damn old geezers had been keeping him busy with meetings for weeks and then they have the audacity to lecture him about spending time with that woman! The woman didn't even respect him, choosing to ignore what he asked her to do! It was so infuriating!<p>

A knock at the door announced Koumei's arrival. Kouen leaned back on his sofa with a sigh. "Come in."

Koumei entered. "Brother, the next meeting will start in 10 minutes..." He paused and studied Kouen with furrowed brows. "Are you sure you want to go? I can always fill in for you."

Kouen glanced at him. Maybe he should take a break, before he snapped. "That may be a good idea, Koumei..."

"Perhaps you should go see Lady Nightingale..." Koumei began. "I mean, you can't just force her to live here and then ignore her."

"Perhaps..." Kouen stood up. "When the meeting's over, come find me."

Koumei nodded and left the room, hurrying to get to the meeting on time. Kouen turned to the maid in the room. "Do you know where Miss Nightingale is?" The maid shook her head no. "Then go find someone who knows," he ordered before closing his eyes for a moment as he rested on the sofa.

It didn't take long for the maid to return with another maid. "Lady Nightingale is taking a walk in the back gardens," the new arrival informed him.

He nodded and waved them away before making his way to find that woman.

"Where is she?" he growled as he walked along a path. He had been walking for a while and still didn't see her. Just as he was about to turn around and head back he saw a speck of white among the green grass. He frowned as he drew closer.

He stood above the girl's still body and looked at her peaceful expression. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing in a slow rhythmic pattern. Her hair was loose and fanned out around her. That girl had, for who knows what reason, lain down in the grass and fallen asleep.

With a sigh of exasperation, Kouen sat down beside her and leaned back on his hands._ I suppose it is nice out._

He closed his eyes to enjoy the breeze when he felt something warm curl up closer to him, almost on his lap. He looked down with wide eyes at the smiling girl. He lifted one hand and hovered it over her head, unsure of whether he wanted to move her or run his fingers through her soft-looking hair.

With a grumble he moved her, but not off him like he had first planned. He drew her closer, giving her head a more comfortable position on his lap. A content sigh escaped his lips when he ran his hand over her hair. It was just as soft as it looked, and the feeling seemed to relax him far more than even the wine had.

He leaned back again and closed his eyes, enjoying the cooling breeze and the warmth radiating off the girl.

"Brother En?" Kouha's voice was full of surprise.

Kouen opened one eye and glared up at Kouha who took a step back.

"Er, sorry. I was just..." he stopped talking and looked around. "Um, Koumei is looking for you."

"Then go and tell him where I am," Kouen told him, not willing to get up.

Kouha nodded before running off. Not long after Kouha disappeared, Koumei strolled down the path. "When I suggested to talk to her, I didn't expect it to go _this_ well," Koumei chuckled.

Kouen shrugged. "I found her sleeping."

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><p>Something felt warm and soft. Odd, Kaho didn't remember going to bed and thats the only time shes felt this safe before. And why did it her pillow smell of herbs and spices? Not that she was complaining; the scent added to the relaxing atmosphere. She still felt rather sleepy. Perhaps staying up late reading books wasn't a good idea.<p>

In an attempt to fall back asleep she buried her face deeper in her pillow. She took a deep breath and sighed with content. Even the gentle strokes of a hand through her hair was helping in luling her to sleep. Wait. Hand? Why would her mom be stroking her hair? The last time she had done that was when Kaho was a child and had broken down into tears because her grandparents had gotten mad at her for not acting lady-like.

"Are you finally awake?" a familiar voice whispered, probably not wishing to wake her if she wasn't actually awake.

She racked her brain trying to figure out where she had heard that voice before. It hit her so suddenly she jolted up in a sitting position and looked back at Prince Kouen. He looked rather startled at the sudden movement before he relaxed and grinned.

"I assume that's a yes," he scoffed. "About time."

Kaho frowned. "Why are you here?" she asked rather rudely. She bit her lip when she noticed the prince narrow his eyes. "I mean... Is there something you require... my lord?"

"Kouen," the prince stated simply.

"What?" Kaho looked at him in confusion. Why was he saying his own name?

"Call me Kouen," he stated.

This caused Kaho to frown before hissing out. "Is that an order?"

Kouen tilted his head to the side, a gesture she had never seen him do before. Strange. But it was rather cute. Wait, what was she thinking?!

"No."

Kaho blinked. "No?"

"It's not an order," he elaborated. "It's... a request."

Kaho blinked again before smiling. "... Kouen..."

"What?" he asked in a bored tone.

"I was just trying it out." Kaho giggled at the stare that Kouen gave her. "What? Am I not allowed to say your name if its not important? I thought you said I could call you Kouen." This induced a frown from Kouen, but it was short-lived as he sighed and stood up. "Where are you going... Kouen." She hesitated at the name. It felt strange calling him simply by his name. Maybe she should add a 'lord' in front of it?

"Inside. It's getting late and I've already missed dinner," he explained before offering a hand. "Aren't you coming? You're probably hungry too."

Well at least he wasn't ordering her to come this time. She smiled, taking his hand. "You didn't have to wait up on me."

Kouen chuckled. "You grabbed onto me and wouldn't let me go."

This new knowledge generated a blush on Kaho's cheeks. "S-sorry... I didn't..." She wasn't sure how to finish that sentence. Thankfully, she didn't have to, saved when a maid approached them.

"My lord. My lady." She bowed to them. "I have set up dinner on a table in the garden if you would like to eat outside."

Kouen nodded. "That sounds like a good idea. It is rather nice out." He then looked at Kaho.

"Sure." Kaho grinned, understanding the look in his eyes as a question.

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><p><strong>Well at least Kouen caught on quickly to the problem, though he did have a little help in that regard (will be mentioned in Chapter 5). And don't worry, more funny arguments will come. This new found knowledge wont solve anything. They just have very.. naturally clashing personalities.<strong>

** So I need opinions. Are the characters IC or OOC?**

**Reviews: (also thanks to everyone for reviewing and following and favorite-ing )**

**Dianne060807 and others: I forget if I mentioned before. At this point I don't know if Kaho will get a metal vessel. It would definitely be interesting if she did though.**

**Notenoughspace: I hate when I run out of space... on another note, I looked up what Kaho ment before I named the OC (after asking someone else for a name idea). But anyways, most meanings have something to do with flower, summer, incense or perfume... which is why I end up mentioning smells a lot.**

**AliasGrace625: hmm, you're right, it does seem kinda beauty-and-the-beast-y. A female friend is a good idea, though I'm not having too much trouble with background. I would normally spread the background out rather than give it in the beginning like I did, but I've learned that people like to have a little info on the Oc at the beginning rather than waiting though the whole story.**


	5. Ch5: Entei's Dinner for Two

**I do not own Magi or it's characters.**

**Final exams are getting close so I will be putting everything on hold until about the middle of December.**

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><p>Chapter 5: Entei's Dinner for Two<p>

Kouen watched quietly as Kaho dug into her food without a second thought. She wasn't even trying to act lady-like. It was rather amusing and refreshing. Those pricks, his advisors, however, probably would kick the girl out on the curb if they ever saw such appalling behavior.

She looked up at him then, noticing his gaze. "What?" she asked with narrowed eyes. She moved the plate closer to her. Was she being territorial over her food? Really? Kouen couldn't stop the laughter. His hand banged on the table as he tried to control his laughing fit, eventually subsiding into a chuckle. He noticed the girl was staring at him as if he had gone insane.

"Don't worry," Kouen began, wiping a tear from his eye. "I won't steal your food. I was just thinking how horrified your parents must have been when they saw your table etiquette."

The girl frowned. "I have wonderful table etiquette," she grumbled. "I just didn't see the point of using it when you're the only audience." She paused as she thought. "Not that you don't deserve respect. But I just don't see the point of not acting myself in front of the man that I may end up being forced to marry."

"Forced?" Kouen picked up on the word in confusion. He had assumed that all the women that the council had suggested were more than happy to oblige in trying to ensnare him into marriage. Perhaps he was wrong.

She nodded before looking at him with a confused expression. "You've been acting weird. Why are you so talkative all of a sudden? And what's with the whole 'it's a request' thing?"

Kouen looked up at the sky. Was that really what had been bothering her that time in the library? A simple command? When Koumei and he had talked in the garden while Kaho was asleep, he finally explained what had happened in the library. Koumei had looked at him like he had done the worst kind of sin before suggesting that rather than commanding her, he should try asking her. At first he wasn't sure how to. When he told her to call him by his name, Kouen had actually used his commanding voice, but the angry look he had received from her reminded him and he was, thankfully, able to save his blunder when she asked him her question.

Kouen looked back across the table, realizing that the girl was quiet. She was still waiting for an answer. "I... got some advice." Great. He had gotten dating advice from his younger brother. Of course, he had never dealt with a girl who wasn't trying to impress him. No wonder his normal attitude had made things go sour.

The girl hummed before looking back at her food and frowning.

"Is something wrong?" Kouen asked her. If the food was so bad, why had she eaten so much of it?

"I have a question but... it's kind of weird," she admitted looking back at him with a curious look in her eyes.

He nodded, expecting her to continue.

"Do you go to the kitchens a lot?"

Kouen waited a few moments, thinking she would elaborate. What kind of question was that? Of course not. Why would he need to? "No...?"

She frowned as if that wasn't the answer she had been hoping for. "Then why did you smell like..." she cut herself off, her face turning bright red. "N-never mind."

Now this was intriguing. Kouen grinned deviously. Was that why she had clung to him in her sleep? She had liked his scent? "Do tell."

Kaho growled as she glared at him. "Never mind," she stated more firmly.

Kouen stood and walked around the table, a smirk still on his face. He leaned forward from behind Kaho to whisper in her ear. "You have a rather nice fragrance as well. Would you like to know what you smell like?" he asked her in a tone that all the women had loved. Sadly, he didn't get the same reaction, though it was still amusing.

She jumped out of her seat, nearly hitting him in the chin-thankfully he had quick reflexes-before spinning around and face him. Her cheeks and ears were red but she looked more embarrassed than seduced. "D-d-don't do that!" she hissed, her hand flying to her ear. "I- I'll f-freaking punch you." Though her threat lost its menace due to her stuttering.

Kouen scoffed. He had seen her fighting ability only once before, and while it had been good, he highly doubted she could win in a fight against him. "I doubt you could even get close enough to punching me."

The girl's face turned even redder, but this time he guessed it was from anger as she lunged at him, causing Kouen to jump back in surprise. Dodging her punches was rather effortless but still funny, maybe even cute.

"Wipe that smirk off your face," she hissed between ragged breaths.

Kouen just chuckled as he continued to dodge her punches, dinner forgotten on the table. "Come on, you'll have to be a bit faster than that," he grinned as she took the bait and growled in anger, charging him again. Unfortunately, she was so focused on him that she tripped over herself and fell forward. In a flash, Kouen caught her around the waist. "You need to be more careful," he told her, helping her back on her feet.

She glared back at him, her green eyes flashing as she ground her teeth. He noticed her muscles suddenly tensing and she straightened her back. A look of horror surfaced on her face before she turned away from him, heading quickly to the table.

"What now?" he asked her, a little annoyed with this new development, as he followed her and took a seat again.

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><p>When Kaho's temper flared, she had completely forgotten who she was speaking with as she swung her fist at him. It infuriated her even more when she just kept missing! And his taunts! She wanted to strangle him!<p>

It was the trip up that gave her a moment to think. She felt the blood drain from her face. She had just attacked Prince Kouen, First Prince of the Kou Empire, the fearsome conqueror and great general of the Kou army!

What was going to happen to her? She didn't want to die. Without thinking, Kaho turned around and headed back to the table, in hopes of leaving the past in the past. Her hands trembled as she heard Kouen's footsteps behind her, louder than earlier. Was he angry?

"What now?" she heard him growl in annoyance.

Looking up quickly, she tried to gage how angry he was by his facial expression. Strangely, he looked more confused than angry. Maybe she could apologize and her actions would be forgiven. "I… stepped over bounds. Forgive me for my rude behavior," she murmured.

Silence followed her statement, leaving her more fearful than before. Glancing up, she frowned upon seeing Kouen's bewildered expression. As their eyes met, the bewilderment was replaced with exasperation.

"What are you talking about?" he asked. "What rude behavior?"

Kaho looked back down at her hands, wondering how to answer. Had her actions not been rude? "I threatened you and… attacked you."

Kouen's chuckling really annoyed Kaho. _Why is he laughing? This isn't funny._

"I dont know about you, but I was having fun." Kouen finally said. "So no, I didn't find it rude."

Kaho looked up at him in shock, watching a big grin form on his face. _Fun?_ She frowned before standing up. "Thank you for your time, Prince. I must be going now." With that, she left the garden.

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><p><strong>Oh Oh, shes back to calling him Prince.<strong>


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